KEY POINTS:
If anyone ever writes the history of art auctions in Auckland, October 2007 may well be seen as a watershed.
Traditionally, new artists make their names and their markets by selling through the city's many dealer galleries. It is the older-established artists, with reputations assured and often well-represented in public and major private collections, who tend to dominate sales, and prices, in the auction houses.
But two recent auction sales of contemporary art, much of it by names new to the secondary market, drew the sort of attention that suggests something is changing.
There will always be a strong market for traditional, more conventional works - a market very well served by such houses as the International Art Centre, Cordy's and Dunbar Sloane.
But Art+Object, which uncompromisingly labels itself "the 21st-century auction house", and Webb's, with its strong reputation over all fields of art, faced up in the contemporary ring last month.
Both drew good houses, if not always spirited bidding.
Art+Object had a relatively small offering - just under 70 lots, by 40 artists. About 60 per cent were sold on the night, with a quarter "subject".
Artists whose works sold above the higher estimate included Ronnie van Hout, Michael Parekowhai, Tony de Lautour and Mike Petre, and prices ranged from $190 to $60,000 (offered for Shane Cotton's Shooter and Silvereye from 2002).
Webb's had 143 lots from nearly 100 artists, about 40 of them new to the auction scene. Just over 40 per cent sold on the night but the negotiations that follow every sale - particularly at Webb's, which tends to have high reserves - has seen more than 70 per cent of the "new artist" works sold since.
Sonia Keogh's Gene sculpture, a disconcerting blend of man and chicken, went for $6000, the lower end of the estimate, while Peata Larkin's Tuhourangi Poutama (The Pink and White Terraces) reached $5000. Again, Ronnie van Hout was one of the few to exceed the top estimate, with Andrew McLeod and others. Peter Robinson, Simon Kaan and Richard Killeen, all well-established artists, also sold well.
The intense competition in the contemporary market between the two houses means such sales will be continued, and they certainly bring a freshness and variety to the auction scene. Australia has an increasingly strong secondary market for works by new artists. Will Auckland follow suit?
At the other end of the spectrum, Dunbar Sloane, New Zealand's oldest established auction house, will have four sales this month in its new rooms at 12 Akepiro St, at the city end of Dominion Rd. Look for strong offerings in artefacts, militaria, New Zealand collectables and posters.
COMING UP:
November 8: Art+Object, Manson estate collection.
November 11: Dunbar Sloane, artefacts, china, collectables.
November 12: Dunbar Sloane, NZ historical, art and posters.
November 13: Dunbar Sloane, jewellery and silver; Cordy's, antiques.
November 18: Dunbar Sloane, militaria.
November 22: Art+Object, important New Zealand paintings.
November 26-27: Cordy's, fine and applied arts.
November 27: International Art centre, collectable art.
December 4: Webb's major art sale.
